An Arranged Marriage
by Lady Notorious
Summary: With Elestra and Flauvic's impending marriage approaching, Mel and Vidanric speak to Oria about an arrangment made shortly after she was born. An arrangment that Oria is honor bound to keep. Chapter one updated and two up!
1. A Renselaeus's Rage

-A/N: I hope you guys like this. I'll try to update soon. I've had an idea like this for a while, but I was unsure how to go about doing it. Feedback would be nice. Mel and Vidanric will be a bit out of character the whole story, just for the sake of the plot as I realize they would never betroth their daughter without telling her of this her whole life, or at all for that matter… Willow-41z, thank you for being a great beta!

Disclaimer: Sherwood Smith owns everyone you recognize!

"WHAT?" Princess Oria Renselaeus of Remalna gaped at her parents as they tensed at her exclamation. In reality, it was her mother who tensed and her father who placed his hand on his wife's arm, trying to calm her. Ria knew that whenever her father did this, it was usually because he was feeling the same emotion.

"Ria, calm down. It's not the end of the world," her older brother Alaraec said, looking up from the letter he was writing. The whole family, save Elestra who was currently with the dressmaker making her wedding gown, was in the library in their wing. Oria had been sitting on a window seat, Alec had been writing a letter at a desk and their parents had been standing by the door before Oria's outburst.

It had been a nice day at Athanarel. Meliara and Vidanric had presided over Petitioners' Court, with Alaraec watching as usual, taking note of how they ran things. After all, it wouldn't be long before Alec took over running Petitioners' Court. Mel and Danric had decided that when Alec married he would start taking over and as Elestra was getting married to Flauvic Merindar on Midsummer's Eve, which was shortly approaching, hence her dress fitting, it seemed as if Alec would be expected to find a bride soon.

So the Crown Prince of Remalna would soon be looking for a bride and Elestra would be the Marquise of Merindar and most likely having children. Oria had figured she would go back to the Dyranarya Academy and maybe teach. She had been fourteen when she had started to learn there and now at eighteen, she was a full journey mage. She had finished her learning in only four years rather than five because of her aptitude for magic, which she had inherited from her mother.

So Oria had been prepared to be hear that she was returning to the Academy to do… Something! Anything! Athanarel was boring. All there was to do was go to ball after party after dinner after Petitioners' Court after picnic after yet another ball . There was never anything fun to do. At least at the Academy she had friends… And rivals, for that matter. Or rather, one rival. Lucier Heth was the most annoying person Oria Renselaeus had ever met! Not only was he annoying, he was nearly as powerful as she was. He was a nobody, which made it extremely aggravating that he had nearly everyone in the Academy on his side. Even on her very last day there half of the girls in the school had thought badly of her because she was cruel to the handsome mage.

"_Oria, are you coming?" Telest picked her books up off the desk at which she had been sitting at __and looked at her room partner who was looking down at a piece of paper._

_The blonde looked up at the brunette and smiled. "Yeah, of course." She folded the piece of paper, one that __had been folded many times over, before standing up. She followed Telest out into the hall, holding the piece of parchment in her right hand, her spell books in the other. The piece of parchment happened to be a __letter Alec had written her. It had arrived earlier in the week, warning her about the invitation, which __she was going to receive: an invitation to the wedding of her sister and a certain lying Merindar__! How could Elestra do this to them? Wasn't it enough that he had kidnapped her? Now he had to marry her?__? Of course, it had been years since he had become human again, but really!_

_Oria had been annoyed and not entirely paying attention since she had received the letter and was expecting the invitation any day__. Everyone had noticed, __including Lucier, her rival. A rival who was waiting outside of the classroom for the princess._

"_Why princess, you really look annoyed today. Whatever is the matter?" he said, looking down at the her__. She glared at him with her gray eyes, not even bothering to give him a reply. He wasn't worth it; he was a nobody, she reminded herself of this as she continued to walk, the fabric of her lavender skirt sweeping across the floor__. She walked away from the most annoying, arrogant, nobody in all of Dyranarya Academy. And every girl lining the hall glared at her because of it. Including one annoyingly perky little redhead by the name of Jilla._

"_You know he likes you, you foolish princess," Jilla said, walking passed a portrait towards Oria. Oria hardly noticed her. "The handsome man never pays attention to any of us; only you. And yet you just scorn and ignore him. __Just because you're a princess doesn't mean you're any better than the rest of us."_

_Oria turned around and glared coldly __at Jilla. The look was a mixture of one of her father's intimidating gazes and one of her mother's hot glares__. "Don't you dare speak to me that way," she said __. "You think I care what any of you think about me? I'm a princess of Remalna! I can choose any person I want. And everyone in this academy knows it, except you, Jilla. Everyone including Lucier. But you don't understand that. Even if Lucier, or any of the men__ at this Academy, had even a thought of courting me, they would know it's impossible. So even if you think Lucier, my rival may I remind you, does for some unknown reason like me, he wouldn't even try. Nobody would. Please, Jilla just go and court him yourself. Heaven only knows you want to. And I-_

"_Ria! What are you doing? Your brother is in our room!" _

_Oria's whirled around __at Telest's voice. "Alec? Here?" Telest nodded to the princess's question. Oria__ quickly turned away from Jilla and walked towards her room, Telest beside her. "Well, I guess I'm leaving."_

_The princess pushed aside a hanging and the two entered the wing where the girls __ of the school lived. Unknown to her, someone was watching her enter it. "Life I'll miss you," __the black-haired mage said softly __. "Until the engagement, then."_

Oria returned to the present, continuing to glare at her parents. She loved them dearly, but how could they ask this of her? This could not be happening. She turned once again to her elder brother. "Do not tell me to calm down, Alec!" Ria yelled at him. "I was just told a life changing thing! It is the end of a world, my world! I'm a mage! I'm a princess of Remalna for goodness sakes! I shouldn't be forced to wed someone I have never met! I want to marry for love like El is! I want a choice like you're getting. Why must I wed a complete stranger?"


	2. Betrayal Leads to Betrothal

A/N: Last chapter, I didn't really mean to make Oria so arrogant. She just gets that way against Lucier because well, she loathes him.

Meliara sighed softly and the king tightened his comforting grip on her arm.

"Alaraec, I think it would be best if you left for a few moments." Vidanric knew that his son was going to protest, so he tore his gaze away from his daughter and looked at the crown prince. The look was one that told Alec to leave, that he could not hear what would be said to Oria, and that Ria needed to hear it alone first. As much as Alec hated this, he stood up, took his papers and quills with him and walked out of the room, pushing aside the door hanging. He would hear what Oria was hearing sooner or later; he just didn't like being asked to leave. Something was happening; something that would change the Renselaeuses forever and he wanted to be a part of it.

But the blond prince decided he would give Oria her space, for now.

The door hanging stopped moving and Ria looked away from it to her parents. A tear fell from her gray eyes onto the bridge of her nose. "How can you do this to me?" She wasn't exactly addressing her mother, but mainly her father. "You married the woman you loved, even though people said she wouldn't be a proper queen for Remalna. I am not given the chance to fall in love and marry the man I love?"

Vidanric's grip on his wife faltered for a moment and he looked down at Mel with loving gray eyes. Meliara moved out of her husband's grasp and walked toward her daughter. "Oria," she said softly, stroking her daughter's hair and then pulling her into a hug as the blond mage started to shake with tears. Mel held her close, allowing the tears to stain her gown, not caring about its cost. Vidanric stood back, watching the scene unfold, asking himself how he could have signed that piece of parchment years ago.

Oria tried to calm her tears and after a moment, pulled away from her mother. "Just tell me why," she pleaded, her gray eyes filled with questions and pain. She knew there had to be some reason, for her father would never have signed her away without one. She knelt down onto a cushion and looked up at her parents, trying to wipe the tears from her face with the lace cuffs of her silver gown.

Meliara walked back towards her husband and the two of them knelt on cushions facing Oria. Vidanric went straight the point. "Oria… Before you were born, there was a different ruling family of Enaeran ." Ria looked at her father in surprise; why had she never known this? It seemed as if the king could read her mind, for he answered that question next. "The people of Enaeran themselves hardly knew about it for years, as the Kiryi made it out as if the king was sick and they were merely ruling in his stead. The displacement of the king was unusual in that it did not occur in battle or all at once. It occurred when a family of nobles, the Kiryi, told the people of Enaeran that the crown prince, Lucieneres, had died and his father was sick. However the king knew he was not sick, but a victim of poison, because somehow the Kiryi had obtained from a letter claiming that they were next inline for the throne. So relying on the aid of those in the government who still supported him, the king escaped and gave the Kiryi the opportunity to proclaim his death and assume the throne. As the king had deserted his country and there was seemingly no true heir, they have ruled ever since."

"But Papa, how is this relevant to my… betrothal?" Oria said the last word quietly.

Meliara took over, "The king escaped and managed to reach Remalna before he died of the poison. Enaeran and Remalna have been allies for centuries, as Enaeran supplies Remalna with what wood we need while we supply them with the natural resources they need yet they are not able to access in their own country. Your father and I were obligated to aid the king. He wanted us to do one thing, to promise our last child to his son." Mel paused for a moment looking at her daughter.

"You were hardly a week old, but your father and I were obligated to agree with an ally of ours, especially since he was growing weaker by the day. He told us he had safeguarded his son with a loyal man and his wife who were currently in Marloven Hess acting as ambassadors. We signed a betrothal only moments before he died. He wished for his son to be able to reclaim his throne and the only way to do so was to have his son marry a princess of a wealthy country, a country with a strong army. We are duty bound to honor it, Oria." Mel paused again, wishing that she hadn't been so foolish years ago as to allow her daughter's entire life to be laid out when Oria was only a week old. "I'm sorry."

Meliara held out her hands to her daughter, hoping that she would at least see how hard this was for her parents. But when Oria stood and turned away, Mel looked towards Danric and silently asked him for advice. Vidanric was about to when Oria turned around once more and said four simple words: "When do we meet?"

Mel looked at her daughter with shock, but Vidanric understood. Ria had been raised as he had, to some extent at least, he thought wryly, glancing at his wife. He understood that Oria knew what she had to do, because she was honor bound to this. And perhaps pitied the prince of Enaeran who had lost the life he had been born into. But she was a princess of Remalna and had been raised since birth to always keep promises; Vidanric and Mel had ensured that. He had wanted his children to be able to make decisions properly, without the clouded judgment that was their mother's weakness. And here he and Mel were taking away one of the most important decisions of Oria's life, because of a dying man's wish that his son one day reclaimed the life into which he had been born .

"He arrives in four days, Oria," Mel said softly.

Oria nodded and glanced down at her dress. "Then I guess we had better summon at least half of the dressmakers in the kingdom, for if I am being married off to a stranger, I should dress appropriately," she said solemnly, and Meliara couldn't help but laugh. Only Vidanric's daughter could manage to take a bad situation and figure out a way to get clothes. Oria might not particularly enjoy the parties—in fact Mel knew Oria found them tiring since there were so many to attend--but she did enjoy fashion. Meliara doubted she would ever understand her youngest child, a mage who adored fashion and a girl who wanted to find love but was willing to sacrifice her chance at it because of an arrangement made years ago.

"She gets it from you. The court fop," Mel muttered softly to her husband as he turned towards Oria to offer her his arm and the three of them walked out of the library together to let the topic of this discussion be known to the rest of their family. All three knew Ria could never forgive her parents, that a gap was there, but they were still family.

As they entered the hall, Vidanric couldn't resist but muttering in reply, "Really Mel, I thought we were past that."

Oria looked at them at her parents gazed at each other, the love they shared visible on their faces. Then she ran down the hall towards her rooms without any warning whatsoever.


	3. Waking To Meet To Wed

A/N: Sorry for the delay! School started and I've been so caught up in school work. I'll try to be quicker to get up the next chapter, but I can't promise anything, sorry. So yeah... I don't own anything you recognize from Crown Duel, although I wish I did.

Lady N

The day had arrived and for the first time in four days, someone other than her maid was allowed into Oria Renselaeus's suite of rooms. She had been in solitude since the afternoon when her parents had told her the fate that awaited her. The blond was able to understand her parents and their motives; they had done it out of loyalty to an ally and she wouldn't be disloyal to them in spite of it. However, that didn't mean she was happy with it and she would forever be jealous of them for the love they shared, a love that she may have once had a chance at having but now that chance was ripped away from her. Her parents shared something she never expected to share with anyone. Of course, there was a chance she would share it with someone, but that man would not be her husband.

Elestra came into her room on the morning of the fourth day and sat down on the edge of Oria's bed as her sister awoke. She had ordered the maid to let her in that morning, saying her sister had not yet issued an order to keep anyone out, so the maid couldn't claim her lady had ordered such an issue. The maid had let Elestra enter, only because she didn't want a future Merindar to dislike her. She had heard the rumors of how servants had been treated during the last period when the Merindar's were influential and although she knew the princess to be kind hearted, her husband might not be the same.

So as Oria woke up that morning, she felt something heavy land on her feet. She opened her gray eyes slowly and saw a pile of dark curls and her sister's face looking down at her. She groaned softly and closed her eyes as she muttered two simple words: "Go away… " She raised one of her hands from the place it lay on one of her many pillows and swatted at her sister. "Let me sleep for another time change. I need my beauty sleep for today," she said, mentally cursing her words as she said them. She didn't want it to be the day it was. She wanted it to be any other day, past or future. Any day but today; but it was today and she had to face it.

"Don't be like that, Ria," her sister said in a tone that hinted annoyance. Although her sister had isolated herself from everything but her room and, with an assessment from her glance upon entering the aforementioned room, her spell books, Elestra had been unable to. No… Elestra had been doing everything in her sister's place, taking pity on her poor sister. But today was the one-day she could not take her sister's place. Her sister was needed today-- to meet her future husband. "Royalty aren't allowed to sleep late," Elestra said to the blond. Oria muttered something as her closed eyes fluttered slightly but did not open. "Especially today of all days, 'Ria." The soon-to-be Merindar tried to sound supportive, but she knew nothing would get Oria through the day except her own will and obligation to her duties as a princess of Remalna. Elestra hoped those were enough.

Seeing that her sister was in the mood to be a slugabed, she waltzed over to the windows that were directly in front of her sister's bed and pulled back the midnight blue curtains. Oria yelped slightly and pulled the covers over her head; covers that Elestra promptly pulled away from her sister. Oria groaned and tried to pull her covers back and smiled as Elestra walked away. Then she heard water and opened her eyes; Elestra was holding her water pitched inches from her face. "Don't you dare!" Oria said as she sat up, "I'm up…"

Elestra grinned and put the pitcher down, "I haven't had that hard of a time waking you up since the morning after your Flower Day! Remember? The Duchess of Bromier came from Sartor on behalf of the royal family and you and I arrived to the introduction a half a time change late?" She chuckled at the memory; "Papa didn't let us come to the ball later that night."

Oria smiled at the memory as she stood up and walked to her wardrobe. Her maid walked in and walked over to the wardrobe and took out a dark purple dinner dress for Oria. She groaned softly; her father had told her mother that the family should dress in something other than their morning clothes and the queen had suggested evening clothes. Ria loved the style of the dresses, but they were for night. She wanted one of her light morning dresses but knew she couldn't. He was arriving soon.

As she started to change out of her nightclothes into the gown, she glanced over to Elestra. The auburn-haired princess was wearing a silver gown with crimson embroidery, also a dinner gown. Elestra caught her sister staring and smiled softly, "after today you won't need to show off to him. Don't worry. Tomorrow morning you'll be back in your light colored morning gown and most likely on a ride."

"With him," Ria said sourly, as she lifted her arms so her maid could tie the ribbons. "I suspect so," Elestra said softly.

**Some Time Later**

A little bit more than a time change had passed since Elestra had woken Oria, but the younger still wasn't any happier that the day was upon her than she had been upon waking. She was looking down longingly at the scene on her fan, one of a forest with the sun shining down on it and colorful birds, Lady Elenet's daughter, Jessrell, had painted it for her as a gift for her Flower Day. To Oria, the scene was one of pure happiness, the complete opposite of the emotions she was feeling at that moment. This moment was when the whole royal family was about to greet her future husband. Flauvic was also there, at Elestra's request, but he was more off to the side.

Meliara was looking at her daughter while Vidanric was listening to Alec with half an ear. He looked over at his wife and saw a worried expression in her blue eyes. He reached for her hand and took it in his own as he softly said, "she'll be all right." He was trying to be comforting, but Mel wasn't entirely sure that it was merely for her benefit. He too was worried, she knew, about letting their daughter marry a complete stranger. There was nothing they could do now however, save go against their morals. Both of them had decided it was best to continue on this path. However, Mel had decided if the prince were less than satisfactory, she would give Ria the option to escape the agreement. She would feel as if she was breaking her moral's, but she couldn't let her daughter be miserable her entire life.

Oria turned to her mother and their eyes met; Mel saw a look of determination in her daughter's eyes, a look Mel knew Ria had inherited from her. It made her sadden, but she knew she couldn't do anything now. Now the deck was in Ria's hand and she was determined to be the one who played the cards, not let anyone else chose for her. The two only tore their eyes apart from each other when an announcement was heard. "We welcome Prince Lucieneres of Enaeran and his foster brother, Lord Lucier of Kolari," the page announced and Oria gasped.

She wasn't looking at the Prince; she wasn't even looking at his foster brother yet. But the moment she looked up at him, the blond wasn't sure whether she wanted to punch him or curse him. In the end, she decided on smiling sweetly to his foster brother and curtsying, trying to hide her annoyance of Lucier's being here. By the time Ria had finished her curtsy, her parents and siblings had already bowed or curtsied to the foreign prince. Now Oria knew it was her turn to speak. "Welcome to Remalna, Prince Lucieneres," she said, smiling at him with an appropriate smile suiting the situation. She didn't, however, say anything to his foster brother, Lucier.

The two men were both dark haired and if Oria didn't know better, she would have thought them twins. Yet Ria noticed her fiancé's eyes were dark brown while she knew Lucier's were a shocking gray, much like her own. He had pointed it out to her often, taunting her, saying that although they were rivals, they were similar. Oh, how he frustrated her! But Oria knew she couldn't let her betrothed sense her frustration with his foster-brother. If they were close, it could cause problems. Although Oria may not wish to be wed in this manner, if she had to, she would try to make it as peaceful as possible. If that meant being civil to her rival, so be it. It wasn't just Oria's reputation at the Academy that was at stake if she did something to Lucier, it was her reputation as the mage-princess of Remalna.

"It is my pleasure in being here, Princess," Lucieneres said as he bowed and reached for Oria's hand and kissed it. Every person of the Remalnan royal family looked at him with shock and Oria's cheeks turned bright red.

"My… What is it with us men who wish to marry the princess's in this family?" Flauvic asked, causing Elestra's cheeks to match her younger sisters.

A/N: I couldn't resist ending the chapter that way! So yeah, reviews are nice!

Lady N


	4. A Ride and a Portrait

A/N: Sorry about not being able to update at an earlier date, school has been insane. In fact, I'm updating now instead of doing a history assignment because I'm sick of having to do work on a vacation. Do teacher's not understand the meaning of the word 'vacation'??? Anyway, here you go. Hope you like it. So let's see. I started this during December vacation, finished it during February, and then finally have finished all the corrections on the day I started to wrok at a summer camp. Wow…

Thank you so much, Willow, for betaing for me!

Disclaimer: Every character that you recognize and any situations that you recognize are properties of Sherwood Smith.

* * *

As Elestra had predicted, the next morning, Oria once again found herself in a light blue outfit, like the ones she wore every morning while riding her gray. Yes, a gray; it was one of the descendents of her father's own long-departed gray that he had claimed on his journey home from Marloven Hess. The horse was just as sturdy as it's predecessor, and quite a bit more beautiful; however, Oria's thoughts were not on her horse that morning. No, they most definitely were not. For yet another of Elestra's predictions had come true-- that morning, Oria was riding with her fiancé. And his deplorable brother. Or adoptive brother, it didn't matter what you called him. They were just as good as blood brothers, it seemed. The night before Oria had witnessed that the two had a bit of a rivalry between them much like the rivalry her father and the Duke of Savona had created once upon a long time ago, when Athanarel had been an extremely different place in which to live.

The trio had been riding for a while in silence; in fact, they had been riding in silence since they left the stables. Oria had not said anything, and the two foreigners had not spoken to her; nor had she been paying any attention to hear if they were quietly talking to each other. Suddenly, Oria heard her name and realized someone had finally said something directed to her. She couldn't help but wincing; from what she had seen both Lucieneres and Lucier were alike. And if she couldn't stand one, she was sure she would not be able to stand the other. Oh heaven help her; she was going to have to marry one of them! The thought made her shudder even more.

She was to be surprised.

"Beg your pardon," Oria said softly. "I was just thinking about the performers last night. Did you not think them splendid?" She wasn't quite sure which of the two she was to direct this to, as she had no idea who had spoken, so she merely said it in their general direction.

It turned out to be Lucieneres who had commented as he responded with a nod. "Yes, I did find them to be magnificent. I asked, however, if you did not agree that it is a beautiful day. Perhaps it is just an average day for you, but Marloven Hess, well… there is little sun there. It is… very gray."

Oria nodded in agreement. "My father once told me that he was in shock upon returning to Remalna from Marloven Hess. Perhaps it was not only the weather which was gray?" It was obviously a rhetorical question and she was sure neither Lucieneres nor Lucier would think otherwise. But of course, Lucier couldn't pass up a chance to speak, could he? Of course not! That was one of the traits Oria loathed in him-- always having to get a word in, even if he wasn't involved in the conversation.

"Lucien," he started, using a term of endearment for his liege and friend. "Oria and I were both at Dyranarya. I doubt she is any more accustomed to Athanarel's temperature than I am to Marloven Hess's, even if it is where our families dwell."

Oria couldn't help glaring at him. How dare he assume something about her? And for once, he wasn't the head of their year making him have a one-up above her as there was no rank based on title at the Academy. Here, she was a princess, and she planned on making sure he realized that he was now in her domain. Now, Oria Renselaeus was usually a kind-hearted girl and she had rarely, if ever, used her rank in order to belittle someone. But Lucier was most definitely an exception to her usual code of conduct.

"Excuse me, Lucier," she said sharply. "But I believe your prince directed his comment towards me. And if you had problems becoming accustomed to Marloven Hess's climates during our school breaks, then I think perhaps you should go back and accustom yourself to them during this break. I, however, have lived at Athanarel my entire life, save some time in other parts of Remalna and the time I've spent at Dyranarya. I am most certainly accustomed to my home's weather." She then winced at how flustered she knew she sounded.

The blond glared at her rival for an instant, only turning away when she was aware that she was being extremely rude to her guest. Lucier was just a guest of her guest and her priorities were to his liege. Her fiancé… Ria tried to stop herself from blanching but she took after her mother and could rarely hide her facial expressions. Burn Alec for getting all their father's indecipherability!

Lucier couldn't help but smirking slightly at Oria's discomfort and caught her eye in order to irritate her even more. Then, without any warning, he urged his horse ahead, leaving the betrothed couple behind.

"Forgive my brother, Princess," Lucieneres said after a momentary silence. "He forgets his place."

Oria raised one of her brows in a quizzical manner and was sorely tempted to say _Really? I had no idea!_, but she restrained herself. "There is no need to be polite about your brother," she said. "I am sure he has mentioned his dislike of me many a time during our breaks from the Academy."

It was now the young king's turn to look at Oria quizzically. "I beg your pardon, Princess, but Lucier has never mentioned you when discussing those at the Academy who he dislikes. In fact, I was overjoyed to hear that he would be accompanying me as I believed that the two of you were on friendly terms and thus no awkward events would occur." He paused for a moment, and dusted a bit of dust off of the front of his coat. "Ah… But there I go, making an awkward event occur. Come now, I have heard of Athanarel's splendid racetracks. Shall we have a go at them?"

The princess nodded and nudged her horse in the direction of the racetracks, the prince's words ringing in her ears: _Lucier has never mentioned you when discussing those at the Academy who he dislikes._ What game was Lucier playing?

* * *

As the two rode, the Queen and several of her acquaintances were admiring the portrait hall. Mel wandered between paintings, looking at the Queens of old and wondering what they would think of her. Even after all this time, sometimes she felt that she was unsuitable to be queen. Would any one of her predecessors have forced her daughter to marry a man she did not love?

"Meliara, look, a picture of your son-to-be's father." Tamara's words broke Mel's line of thought and she walked over to where Trishe, Renna, and the Duchess were standing. The three rarely stayed away from Athanarel for extended periods of time, even though they all had children who could remain in their steads. Renna still enjoyed racing as often as possible with anyone who would compete with her, nearly unbeatable as she was; Trishe enjoyed hosting her riding parties with her daughter, Trini; and Tamara only left Savona's side, who was constantly at Athanarel to "keep his cousin in line," as he put it, when they fought.

Mel did not consider any of the three to be her confidants; her husband and Nee were the only ones meeting that description who were ever at Athanarel. Oria was still one of Mel's dearest friends, but as she continued to refuse a title higher than steward of Tlanth, so confiding in her on every day court matters was not simple. However, the three with Mel now were her friends and when Trishe had invited the queen to explore the Portrait Hall with herself, Renna, and Tamara, Mel hadn't declined.

"His son looks just like him," Renna mused as she looked at the picture of the king brought down by treachery. In the picture he was only a bit older than his son was now and the similarities were uncanny. "But why is it here? Doesn't it belong in Enaeran?"

Mel shook her head and brushed her hair away from her eyes. "Vidanric had met the King in Colend and he managed to salvage the painting when Enaeran was taken over by the usurpers, fearing all memory of his friend would be lost otherwise."

Renna's lips formed a perfect 'o' at the explanation, and she shrugged. "How sad. But maybe the King of Enaeran knew that your daughter would fall in love with Vidanric's son and would want his heir to see his father one day," she said with a smile. Mel returned the smile and knew she was blushing. Vidanric had spread the lie that Oria had met Lucieneres at the Acadamy when he had visited his brother. Arranged betrothals were not a very accepted thing in the current court at Remalna, and they? had decided this would be easier on Oria.

"Renna, I don't mean to be rude, but I believe you are wrong," Tamara said, eyeing the portrait. "The young king has dark brown eyes and his father, by the looks of it, had light gray eyes. I'd say that his foster brother looks more like the king, as the two boys could be twins except for their eyes."

Mel frowned and then shrugged. "Well, perhaps his mother had brown eyes," she said, but an odd chill crept up her back. She had met the queen once and she had been a fair woman, with blond hair to match Vidanric's and blue eyes to match Mel's own. But Renna nodded, saying that must be so, and Tamara turned the conversation to a new dress she had acquired as they walked on. Trishe, however, stayed looking at the portrait. She had been silent throughout the whole discussion. Mel looked at Trishe and frowned again as she saw that Trishe was thinking. "What's wrong?"

Trishe smiled and shook her head. "Nothing. I just was remembering a time that I met this man. He was so full of life. It's a pity that he won't meet Oria, she would have liked him." Despite this, Mel felt uneasy. Trishe had been the one to place her ring so long ago and she always remembered details. Mel reached for the fan at her waist, twirled it in an arc, and waved it back and forth, not moving it in any specific mode, showing how unsettled she was. "Please, Trishe," she said, "What's bothering you about this portrait?"

Trishe shook her head again. "It's not the portrait. It was Tamara's comment. The Enaeran kings have had gray eyes for as far back as I can remember reading about-- it's almost as set in stone as the Landis' eye color," she sighed softly, looking down at her fan and not seeing the unsettled look that spread across Mel's face. "I guess I'm just clinging to the past. But change is good." She said the last part with a smile, and then Tamara turned around and asked them what they thought about a hairstyle she wanted to try.


End file.
